Shintoism is a faith followed by people who are Japanese or sometimes live in Japan. Shintoism is sometimes not considered a religion because it is more of a livelihood. Shintoism is a very ancient religion and resembles an indigenous faith to the Japanese; it was formed at the creation of Japan. Therefore, this religion has no founder or leader as it is entirely based on the people and the traditions they follow. The main aspect of Shintoism is following and believing in the Kami. The Kami can embody several things such as humans, animals and nature. It is a spirit that influences humans to make better decisions, they are very similar to humans as they have human emotions and can die like a human. All Kami come in pairs, for example Izanami and Izanagi. These two were the creators of Japan and needed each other for balance. The most famous Kami is the goddess of the sun, she protects all people in the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Unlike other religions, Shintoism does not believe in any god or moral code. The goal of this religion is to talk to the Kami for advice. There are several types of Kami that will help you with any help needed. Not all followers of Shinto live in Japan: there are approximately one hundred thousand ethnic Japanese living in Canada and about the same number in the United States. However, the largest location for Shinto followers is in Japan, as twenty-seven to seventy percent of people living in Japan practice Shinto. Shintoism was part of Buddhism and Confucianism. It originated in the late 6th century, and that is when it finally separated itself as its own religion or practice. Then, in the 18th century, Shintoism was designated as an important national religion. This religion does not contain a creation story, although it is believed that Izangi and Izanami were the Kami who created Japan. The most significant figure in Shintoism is the Kami, there are approximately eight million of them and can take shape in nature or in certain concepts. This faith is a polythetic religion, which means that its followers believe in several gods. Some Kami embody different things like the sun, mountains or trees. They do not worship objects, but what they represent and what type of Kami is shown through the object. It is also believed that Shintoism is an optimistic faith, that humans are born good and that evil comes from evil spirits. There are no beliefs in this faith, but Shintoism has several core beliefs and assertions. Followers believe in matsuri, which is the worship of gods and spirits, and they also find the meaning of purity very important to their faith, as purity is a recurring theme in the religion. Love of nature and family is also sacred within this faith. Shinto contains sacred texts, but they are normally shared orally. The most important are the Kojiki, which relates ancient events, and the Nihon-gi, which are the chronicles of Japan. Both books are filled with myths and ancient traditions passed down orally from generation to generation. These myths are meant to show the importance of Japan and its culture. In the texts there are often key ideas that must be followed, such as how the Kami are similar to humans, purification is an act of purification, how the kami care for humanity, and how death is the the most impure act. There are four main stories,